25 CV Tips to Land you Interviews in the UAE

25 CV tips to stop getting rejected, and start landing interviews in the UAE & KSA

1. Do not list your current location if it’s not the location you are targeting 📍

Always list the target location. Your application could be viewed as a misfire and may be skipped, if it hasn’t already been auto-rejected.

2. Do not enter your phone number as one unbroken string 📞

Format the number correctly for the location you are targeting, or it may be parsed incorrectly. For example, if you're targeting jobs in Dubai, write your number like this: +971 50 123 4567.

3. Do not use a double-column layout 📄

It often doesn’t show up properly and makes your CV hard to read, or it’ll just quite simply get auto-rejected.

4. Do not include personal interests ❌

It can come across as unprofessional and frankly speaking, make you look a bit silly, especially if the interests have zero relevance to the role.

5. Do not include any links 🔗

They can cause a cybersecurity risk and may trigger a firewall, causing your CV to be flagged or auto-rejected. It’s better to keep it link-free unless requested.

6. Do not use shortened date formats (e.g., Jul 24) 📆

These can be confusing to legacy hiring systems used in the region. Input the full date to make sure your experience is clear and easy to understand.

7. Do not use shortened location formats (e.g., Dubai, UAE) 🌎

They can get misread or cause confusion, especially if someone’s quickly scanning your CV.

8. Do not tailor your CV for every application 👨‍💻

Maintain one master CV. Making multiple will be a waste of time and increase the chance of mistakes being made.

9. Do not include certifications that are not relevant to your target roles 🏆

Listing unrelated ones can dilute your experience and weaken your key selling points. Focus on certifications that actually add value to the job you want.

10. Do not include a low-quality photo 📸

If you add a photo, ensure it is high-quality and professional. A bad photo can make you look cheap or careless, and it might give the wrong impression before anyone even reads your CV. If creating your own CV, avoid inserting a profile photo, getting it wrong can cause the file size to skyrocket, and worse – cause the CV formatting to become corrupted.

11. Do not list one role under multiple companies 💼

Doing this can cause formatting issues that make your CV look messy or confusing. Keep each role clearly listed under the right company so it’s easy to read.

12. Do not write your experience in paragraphs ✍️

Use high-impact bullet points. Paragraphs can be hard to read for human and hiring tools, while bullet points make your key skills stand out and they’re easy to scan.

13. Do not use your local currency when applying abroad 💰

Use the currency of the target location. This makes it easier for companies to understand your salary expectations.

14. Do not include high school or high school-equivalent education 📚

Employers are only interested in higher education or relevant qualifications. Listing irrelevant details just takes up space and doesn’t add any value.

15. Always have a present role listed 🏙️

This is a mandatory requirement no matter what. Not showing a current position can raise red flags, but worse, can often lead to auto-rejection.

16. Do not include graphics such as tables or charts 📊

Don’t get us started - these can cause endless problems with formatting, auto-rejection, and might not show up right on different devices/software.

17. Stick to the same tense throughout the entire CV 📈

Again, for obvious reasons, mixing past and present tense can confuse readers, make your CV hard to read, and raise questions about your attention to detail.

18. Do not include a referrals section 🤝

It can make you look out of touch or like you’re stuck in the past. Employers usually ask for references only when they need them.

19. Use a standard font such as Arial 💻

Special or fancy fonts make your CV hard to read, messy, non-mobile friendly, or non-ATS compliant. Stick to common/standardised fonts.

20. Do not include your nationality ✈️

It’s a common misconception, but adding it is bad practice. Employers should focus on your skills and experience, not your nationality.

21. Do not include soft skills 🤚

Only include hard skills. Focus on specific, measurable skills that prove what you can actually do.

22. Do not include company suffixes (e.g., Ltd, LLC, Pvt, GmbH) 🏢

It looks a bit ridiculous and adds unnecessary clutter. Just stick to the core company name. Adding these will often lead to you getting lowballed.

23. Do not include your middle name ⛔️

Use first and last name only. It’s important for compliance, consistency across systems, and makes it easier for recruiters to find your application.

24. Do not let your CV exceed 2 pages 💤

Even if your experience is great, going over the limit can lead to auto-rejection or make it less likely that someone will actually read it.

25. Do not list any role without at least a few concise bullet points 🙏

If you’ve got nothing to say about it, don’t list it at all. It just takes up space and adds no value. Every role on your CV should show what you actually did and what you achieved.

What now?

If you want to fast-track your job search, and start landing interviews in the shortest time-frame possible, we can conduct a free job search audit on not only your CV, but your profile as a whole...

This is a full review of:

✅ Your CV

✅ Your LinkedIn

✅ Your approach

What we'll find out from this is -

⚠️ Why you're not landing interviews

⚠️ What you need to do to start landing interviews

🔍 Want us to audit your search & see what's going wrong? Click here

Before you go...

Don't be disheartened - landing a job here isn't easy, it'll take hard work, but if you're running an effective search, you WILL land interviews, and you WILL land an offer.

Remember, your job search should take 2-4 weeks..

Good luck guys!